CPHL214 CRITICAL THINKING I

Syllabus, Winter 2017

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David Laverty

INSTRUCTOR PHONE: 647-894-9201
INSTRUCTOR E-MAIL: dlaverty@ryerson.ca
COURSE PREREQUISITES: None
The Chang School Office Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00am 7:00
pm
Friday 8:00am 4:30pm
Saturday 8:15 1:15 (closed July and
August)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Analysing arguments, examining the reasons people give to support their point of
view, and expressing oneself in an intellecutally clear way are all skills at the heart
of critical thinking. Because of this, critical thinking is central to successful study
and high quality research. This class will focus on critical thinking skills and will
facilitate students in acquiring and developing these skills with a view to applying
them in their further study.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The aim of this course is to help students to 1. Develop basic critical thinking skills,
2. Improve on how to make and express arguments, 3. Understand how to apply
these skills in future study.

READINGS:
Theory handouts prepared by me will be posted on D2L Brightspace course page.

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
Classes will consist of a mixture of instruction and group discussion.

METHOD OF STUDENT EVALUATION:

9 Exercises (10%) Essay (10%) 2 Quizzes (20% each) Final Exam (40%)
The exercises will be graded pass/fail. To receive a grade of pass you dont need to
provide a correct answer to each question, but you must minimally provide an
answer to each question and make a significant effort to provide a correct answer to
each question. Given this, you should not interpret receiving full marks for an
assignment as indicating that you have complete understanding of the material
covered in the assignment. You should compare your answers to the correct
answers when I take up the exercise in class. The exercises are due at 6:30 p.m. on
their respective due dates. Please see below for the due dates. You must submit
them via the assignment dropbox on the D2L Brightspace course page. The
exercises will be taken up in class on those due dates. You are permitted to work in
groups, indeed I encourage it, but you must submit your own work. Plagiarism is
very serious academic offense which I will punish to the fullest extent that I am
able.

MISSED TERM WORK OR EXAMINATIONS

Students are expected to complete all assignments and tests within the time frames
and by the dates indicated in this outline. Exemption of an assignment or term test
is only permitted for a medical or personal emergency or due to religious
observance (request must be received within the first two weeks of the course). For
absence on medical or religious observance grounds, official forms may be
downloaded for the Ryerson website at
www.ryerson.ca/undergraduate/currentstudents/forms or picked up from The
Change School at Heaslip House, 297 Victoria St., Main Floor.
If you miss the quiz 1 for reasons beyond your control, you will be assigned a mark
for the quiz equal to 20% of your mark on Part 1 of the final exam. If you miss the
quiz 2 for reasons beyond your control, you will be assigned a mark for the quiz
equal to 20% of your mark on Part 2 of the final exam.
If you miss either quiz for reasons within your control (for example, if you simply
decide not to write it), you will receive a grade of zero for the quiz.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week Topic
Jan 17 Intro to Critical Thinking, What is an
argument?
Jan 24 What isnt an argument?
Jan 31 Standardizing and Diagramming Arguments
Feb 7 Introduction to Argument Evaluation,
Deductive Validity
Feb 14 Quiz 1
Feb 28 Evaluating Premises for Acceptability
Mar 7 Evaluating Relevance
Mar 14 Categorical Logic
Mar 21 Quiz 2
Mar 28 Propositional Logic
Apr 4 Propositional Logic contd
Apr 11 Exam Review
Apr 18 Final Exam

PLAGIARISM:
The Ryerson Student Code of Academic Conduct defines plagiarism and sanctions
against students who plagiarize. All Chang School students are strongly encouraged
to go to the academic integrity website at www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity and
complete the tutorial on plagiarism.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Ryerson University and The Chang School are committed to the principles of
academic integrity as outlined in the Student Code of Academic Conduct. Students
are strongly encouraged to review the student guide to academic integrity,
including penalties for misconduct, on the academic integrity website at
www.ryerson.ca/academic integrity and the Student Code of Academic Conduct at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies.

RYERSON STUDENT EMAIL:

All students in full and part-time graduate and undergraduate degree programs and
all continuing education students are required to activate and maintain their
Ryerson online identity at www.ryerson.ca/accounts in order to regularly access
Ryersons E-mail (Rmail), RAMSS, my.ryerson.ca portal and learning system, and
other systems by which they will receive official University communications.

COURSE REPEATS:
Senate GPA Policy prevents students from taking a course more than three times.
For complete GPA Policy see policy No. 46 at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies.

RYERSON ACADEMIC POLICIES:

For more information on Ryersons academic policies, visit the Senate website at
www.ryerson.ca/senate.
Course Management Policy No.145
Student Code of Academic Conduct No. 60
Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct No. 61
Examination Policy No. 135
Policy on Grading, Promotion, and Academic Standing Policy No. 46
Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy No. 134
Accommodation of Student Religious Observance Obligations Policy No. 150